


Girls Day

by auroradesu



Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:07:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26568544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/auroradesu/pseuds/auroradesu
Summary: Moxie has been isolating himself from his family while he tries to recover from the horrors of the final exam.  His nieces have been patiently waiting to see their Flora since he returned home and finally want to have their time with him.
Collections: Moxie Hydrangea





	Girls Day

After his first day back, Moxie spent the next day to himself. His mother brought him breakfast and left to tend to household duties. She knew his son needed the family but also needed time to himself and she would grant him that time. Periodically his sisters would check in to bring lunch or offer their company. While he did eat sparingly, most of his day was spent letting tears freely fall from his tired eyes as he laid in the light of the sun from the rooms window. All he could think about were the events of the final exam. He thought of all the people his team rescued but all the ones he was unable to rescue as well. He knew he would never be able to save everyone every time but it hurt more when it was people close to him. A soft knock came from the door to break Moxie from his thoughts. In the late afternoon, two little heads poked their head inside the room.

“Flora Moxie?” The older of the two children began. “Momma said you are resting but its not fair Gramma and Flora Glee and Mirth gotta come in..” The two stepped inside with a plate of cookies and carefully held cups of milk. Lumi and Pinion carefully stepped in the room and brought the snack to the bed to sit on the nightstand before climbing themselves in bed. Moxie wasn’t going to deny his favorite (and only) nieces and knew in their expressions they had been worried about him. He scooted over to make room for them and help them with the glasses of milk. He was sure he looked terrible but he still offered a gentle smile to them.

“I’ve missed you two,” he began as he pulled them both into a tight hug. “It’s only been a few months but you both look like you’ve grown.” He fluffed their hair and let them get settled with the plate of cookies between the three.

“Why’d you cut your hair?” Asked the younger child, Pinion. As expected she spoke with a mouth full of cookie as she grabbed the cup she shared with her sister. “We wanted to brush it and braid it. We practiced…”

“Flora Moxie wasn’t feeling well,” he explained. “I’m still a bit unwell but being home helps me feel better.” He sat watching the two analyze him as he ate the cookies along with him. “You can still brush and braid my hair. It’s short but there is hair.”

“It’s not the same,” Pinion pouted. “You have to spend the rest of the day with us.”

“Yeah! Daddy wants us to perform for tha holidays and we wanna dance with yooooou,” whined Lumi. She flopped herself on the bed rolling around causing Moxie to take hold of both glasses of milk so they don’t spill.

“Well let’s finish our afternoon snack and grab your father to go outside to practice.” At that the two girls faces lit up and they quickly started devouring their cookies. “Slow down or you’ll get sick then we can’t dance.” Instantly the girls paused to carefully chew their food and wash it down with milk.

“Flora Moxie? Does being a hero make you sad?” Lumi asked as she scooted closer to pat his cheek. He didn’t realize his tears were falling again.

“Yes it does,” he admitted with a soft smile. “But it also makes me feel proud. I’ve helped more people and made close bonds than I ever have before. I want to keep helping people because you feel good when you help people right?”

“Yeah!” They both yell excitedly. “I know Flora Moxie is a great hero!” Lumi commented after.

The purple tiefling chuckled and pat his niece on the head. “Thanks. Go tell your father we’re gonna practice. I’m going to get dressed now okay?”

“KAY!” They yelled in unison before bolting out the room yelling for their father.

Moxie took a moment to take some deep breathes and calm his spirit. He didn’t want to keep letting tears roll down in front of everyone like that. Digging through his luggage he put on a clean simple dress and went to go find his family. The trio in question were already outside waiting. Revere was strumming a tune for his daughters who were jumping around and spinning excitedly. They lit up when they saw Moxie approach and ran up to hug him once more.

“Okay show me what you remember first,” Moxie requested as he went to stand next to his brother. Revere smiled softly to his baby brother and pat his shoulder, giving a gentle loving squeeze. He returned the smile before turning back to his nieces and clapping his hands to start the beat before his brother began the song. Together with Revere they sang the elvish song while the two girls danced with very forced focused looks on their faces. Pinion taking moments to pause and look at her sister if she forgot a step while Lumi watched her father for approving nods. Once the two finished they looked from their father to Moxie waiting for their review. “Hmm…,” the purple tiefling hummed as he crossed his arms. “You both looked very lovely but practice makes perfect doesn’t it.”

“You do it Flora Moxie!” yelled Lumi as she jumped in place. “We forgot stuff so show us again!!”

He smiled as he stepped to them and ushered them over to their father. “Clap me in and sing big and loud for me okay?” The two grinned wide as they did so with exuberance. Moxie couldn’t help laughing at how loud and excited the girls were with their singing. His performance on the other hand was flawless. These annual dances were second nature to him after years and years of participation. Yet..when he finished his judges looked displeased. Luminous and Pinion stood with arms crossed, brows knotted and lips pouted.

“It’s no good,” Pinion voiced first.

“Yup,” Lumi sighed as she shook her head. “It’s not the same.”

“Girls what are you talking about? Moxie did it perfectly. What’s wrong with his performance?” Revere was just as puzzled as Moxie by the disapproval from the two.

“It’s prettier when Flora Moxie had long hair. It’s just not the same!” Pinion nodded with her sisters assessment and gave an echoed, “Just not the same..”

Moxie was dumbfounded by the judgement his nieces made. They had a point that dancing without his long hair was very much not the same. His short hair was still a new concept to him and there were still times where he thought he felt the weight of it or feel the touch. He sighed as he put his hands on his hips. “How should we fix this then? My hair is short so what can still make the dance pretty?”

The girls looked to each other as if they were telepathically discussing their options. After a moment Lumi grabbed Pinion’s arm and ran in the house. Moxie and Revere stood in place wondering what the two girls had in mind. Eventually the two girls returned holding a flower crown together with one hand. The crown was very ornate with ribbons and a lace vale attached to it.

“Try again wearing this!” Lumi requested as they both held it up.

“Girls…” Revere began as he kneeled down to their level. “This is for spring time and what were you doing digging around your Flora Moxie’s room. You need to apologize for touching without asking.”

The girls turned their large pale eyes to Moxie who kneeled down as well. “It’s okay brother,” he reassured. “They have really missed their Flora Moxie. Maybe before we perform for everyone else we can make a new crown for me together huh?”

The two girls gasped in glee as they looked from Moxie to their father who could only laugh and nod in acceptance. Moxie allowed the girls to place the crown and get it looking perfect for him before he moved back over and the dance began again. When he finished he smiled to the girls seeing that their expressions revealed all the approval he needed to hear. They were glowing in delight as they clapped and ran over to jump and spin around him.

“You’re like a princess! You’re Princess Flora Moxie!” Lumi yelled to which Pinion echoed in agreement. They laughed and cheered as they grabbed his hands to spin him around with them as well. The three of them laughed and spun around as Moxie mustered up the strength to lift them off the ground occasionally. They played together for a while longer until dusk was starting to fall. This time Moxie didn’t hide in the bedroom to have his meals but he sat with the family. No one urged him to be active in any conversation but if he felt the need to comment or ask a question he was heard. There was an obvious look of relief on the Hydrangea family seeing that some of Moxie’s sorrow had been pushed away. After dinner Moxie took his nieces to go have a bath, they insisted of course.

“Flora Moxie you have lots of owies,” Pinion commented as she touched over his right side.

“I have some too Flora Moxie!” Yelled Lumi as she stood up in the tub to turn around and hold her tail to his face. “I tried to hang from a tree by my tail and the branch broke!”

“M-me too!” Pinion joined as she stood up to look for something to show off.

Moxie laughed as he sat the girls back down and pat their heads. “You two are tough just like me huh? Make sure to be more careful though even when you’re having your own adventures. I need to try to be more careful but sometimes it’s very very very dangerous being a hero. That’s how these happen.”

The two nodded slowly as they eyed over the scars once more and reached out to touch them. “They look really cool,” Lumi remarked. “You can be a hero princess. The most beautiful hero princess around!”

Moxie smiled as he pulled his nieces into a hug and gave them both a kiss on the cheek. He loved these girls and was thankful for their bright innocence pushing away the darkness clouding his mind. That night the three shared the bed and the nightmares did not come.


End file.
